Castell Tinboeth, Radnorshire, Powys

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Castell Tinboeth sits majestically at the edge of a precipitous ridge, offering a breathtaking view of the Ithon Valley below, nestled near Llananno in Powys. Historical records suggest that the castle was repurposed from an ancient prehistoric hillfort, but this theory seems highly unlikely. The castle first makes its appearance in written documents in 1282, when it was firmly in the hands of the Mortimer family as a strategically important royal garrison. In the following year, 1283-4, we find that the garrison consisted of a formidable force of 5 cavalry and 30 infantry. Its final recorded mention occurs in 1322, leaving its history after this date shrouded in mystery. By the 16th century, Leland's descriptions reveal Castell Tinboeth to be a ruin. The castle boasts no discernible bailey, with all structures seemingly secured within the roughly hexagonal curtain wall that originally topped the inner bank. A stone gateway defended by two towers still stands, and fragmentary remains can be seen today. Within the castle walls lies a possible well, marked by a wet hollow. Situated nearby are parallel linear 13th-century medieval stone quarries, a rare dated example of its kind.